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For more than 100 years the Society of Professional Journalists has been dedicated to encouraging a climate in which journalism can be practiced more freely and fully, stimulating high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism and perpetuating a free press.

About the Foundation

Since its founding in 1961, the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation has promoted excellence and ethics in journalism. The SDX Foundation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization that supports the educational programs of the Society of Professional Journalists and serves the professional needs of journalists and students pursuing careers in journalism.

Excellence in Journalism 2015Sept 18-20, 2015 – Orlando

Excellence in Journalism is the national journalism conference of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Join us in September in Orlando for training, networking, workshops and more!

SPJ Leads

SPJ News

SPJ Blogs: Newest Posts

Quill Headlines

Journalist's Toolbox

@SPJ_Tweets

Connect with SPJ

SPJ on Facebook

Upcoming Eventsand Deadlines

Become an SPJ Member

For more than 100 years the Society of Professional Journalists has been dedicated to encouraging a climate in which journalism can be practiced more freely and fully, stimulating high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism and perpetuating a free press.

About the Foundation

Since its founding in 1961, the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation has promoted excellence and ethics in journalism. The SDX Foundation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization that supports the educational programs of the Society of Professional Journalists and serves the professional needs of journalists and students pursuing careers in journalism.

Excellence in Journalism 2015Sept 18-20, 2015 – Orlando

Excellence in Journalism is the national journalism conference of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Join us in September in Orlando for training, networking, workshops and more!

The bill would provide a margin of protection for journalists and their confidential sources. It would limit the enforcement of federal subpoenas against reporters who refuse to identify sources in certain circumstances. The measure passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in December 2009 after 19 weeks of bipartisan amendments and awaits a full Senate vote.

ďItís apparent to members of SPJ that if we are to continue to provide the kinds of stories that the American public needs that we need passage of this bill to protect sources, journalists and the publicís interest,Ē SPJ President Kevin Smith said.

According to Smith, the bill has progressed further throughout this year than the past five years, and all issues of national security have been addressed completely.

The bill was stalled after the July 25 WikiLeaks publication of nearly 77,000 Afghanistan war documents. As a result, Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., has called for two tiers to define a journalist, further limiting the billís protections. Panelists during the session believe that if the bill does not pass before December, its progress will be hindered up to five more years.

According to research by session speaker RonNell Anderson Jones, Brigham Young University associate professor of law, over 7,000 state and federal subpoenas were issued to journalists in the past year.

Other speakers during the session included past SPJ presidents Irwin Gratz, morning edition producer at Maine Public Broadcasting Network, and Steve Geimann, deputy team leader at Bloomberg News.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.